that she was prying. She could hear Jimmy’s voice from the kitchen, probably talking to Col who had finished his shower. She opened the birthday cards. To Becky, all my love, Jimmy. To Becky, I love you, Jimmy. To Becks, best friends always, Jimmy. Three birthdays. Jimmy and his girlfriend had been together for a long time. Kate put them back. She wondered what Becky was like. She lifted out the passport and opened it at the back. Rebecca Andrews stared back at her. Kate was surprised to see that Becky looked a little like her (or perhaps it was that she looked a little like Becky). She had jaw-length dark hair and pale skin. The photo was tiny but there was something alike about her and Becky. Becky had a serious look on her face. Becky had a fringe and Kate didn’t but apart from that they were similar.
“Kate, food’s ready,” Jimmy called.
She put the passport and the cards back into the folder and closed the box. Did she mind looking like Becky? Did it matter that Jimmy might have been attracted to her because he was pining for his ex-girlfriend?
Kate went back into the kitchen.
“Five-star noodles,” he said, holding his hand out with a flourish.
Col was standing with a towel around his waist. His hair was wet and he was carrying the clothes he’d been wearing over his arm.
“See you guys,” he said.
He shuffled away and Kate saw an opened bottle of wine on the table and, in the middle, a single candle that Jimmy had lit.
“I’m hungry,” she said and picked up a fork and started eating.
Later, after they finished the wine, he walked her back to her house. It was noticeably chillier than earlier and she hugged herself as she walked along. He talked about his course and his plans to become a college lecturer. His words were mildly slurred and she was feeling a little drunk herself.
At her front door he seemed embarrassed. She wondered if he was going to kiss her. Hadn’t they slept together acouple of nights before? Hadn’t he undressed her?
“Anyway, I’ll give you a call,” he said and turned to go.
“Wait,” she said.
She grabbed his bare arm, a little colder now, and pulled him towards her.
“You could stay tonight,” she said.
“Only if … If that’s OK. I don’t want to seem pushy…”
She stared at him in the dark of the porch. He’d had the same girlfriend for three years and he didn’t know how to be with a new girl. She went on tiptoes and angled her face up to his and kissed him on the mouth. She slipped her hands under his arms and round his back. His muscles were tense and hard. She touched his lips with her tongue and felt his shoulders soften as he leaned into her.
“Let’s go up to my room,” she whispered, taking his hand.
He followed her into the house.
Ten
Kate woke early. When she opened her eyes she could see the light poking in around the edge of her blind. Beside her, sleeping soundly, was Jimmy. He had his back to her and the sheet was pulled up to his chin. The clock showed 05:58. She sat up, carefully, trying not to wake him. It was cold. She edged the blind back and saw the grey morning outside. There were spits of rain on her window.
The weather had broken. It didn’t surprise her.
She got dressed, pulling on socks and trainers for the first time in weeks. She put on a T-shirt and grabbed her hooded top. She picked her phone up off the bedside table and noticed the condom packet. The cellophane had been pulled off, the packet open, the remaining condoms spilling out. She looked at the sleeping figure and wondered whether she had made a good choice. She thought about waking him up but decided not to. She picked up a piece of paper and scribbled a note.
Had to go out. Help yourself to breakfast (my cupboard). I’ll ring you. Kate.
Downstairs she went to the fridge and got out a bottle of water and drank half of it down. Would she ring him? Or just wait until she bumped into him again.
She picked up her keys and left.
The streets were
“Kate, food’s ready,” Jimmy called.
She put the passport and the cards back into the folder and closed the box. Did she mind looking like Becky? Did it matter that Jimmy might have been attracted to her because he was pining for his ex-girlfriend?
Kate went back into the kitchen.
“Five-star noodles,” he said, holding his hand out with a flourish.
Col was standing with a towel around his waist. His hair was wet and he was carrying the clothes he’d been wearing over his arm.
“See you guys,” he said.
He shuffled away and Kate saw an opened bottle of wine on the table and, in the middle, a single candle that Jimmy had lit.
“I’m hungry,” she said and picked up a fork and started eating.
Later, after they finished the wine, he walked her back to her house. It was noticeably chillier than earlier and she hugged herself as she walked along. He talked about his course and his plans to become a college lecturer. His words were mildly slurred and she was feeling a little drunk herself.
At her front door he seemed embarrassed. She wondered if he was going to kiss her. Hadn’t they slept together acouple of nights before? Hadn’t he undressed her?
“Anyway, I’ll give you a call,” he said and turned to go.
“Wait,” she said.
She grabbed his bare arm, a little colder now, and pulled him towards her.
“You could stay tonight,” she said.
“Only if … If that’s OK. I don’t want to seem pushy…”
She stared at him in the dark of the porch. He’d had the same girlfriend for three years and he didn’t know how to be with a new girl. She went on tiptoes and angled her face up to his and kissed him on the mouth. She slipped her hands under his arms and round his back. His muscles were tense and hard. She touched his lips with her tongue and felt his shoulders soften as he leaned into her.
“Let’s go up to my room,” she whispered, taking his hand.
He followed her into the house.
Ten
Kate woke early. When she opened her eyes she could see the light poking in around the edge of her blind. Beside her, sleeping soundly, was Jimmy. He had his back to her and the sheet was pulled up to his chin. The clock showed 05:58. She sat up, carefully, trying not to wake him. It was cold. She edged the blind back and saw the grey morning outside. There were spits of rain on her window.
The weather had broken. It didn’t surprise her.
She got dressed, pulling on socks and trainers for the first time in weeks. She put on a T-shirt and grabbed her hooded top. She picked her phone up off the bedside table and noticed the condom packet. The cellophane had been pulled off, the packet open, the remaining condoms spilling out. She looked at the sleeping figure and wondered whether she had made a good choice. She thought about waking him up but decided not to. She picked up a piece of paper and scribbled a note.
Had to go out. Help yourself to breakfast (my cupboard). I’ll ring you. Kate.
Downstairs she went to the fridge and got out a bottle of water and drank half of it down. Would she ring him? Or just wait until she bumped into him again.
She picked up her keys and left.
The streets were
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